by M.A.MMore than 30 nations that have recognized Libya's main opposition group as the country's government declared on Friday that Muammar Gaddafi's regime had lost its legitimacy.

The Libya Contact Group, meeting in Istanbul, said "the Gaddafi regime no longer has any legitimate authority in Libya," and that Gaddafi and his family members must go. The group, comprised of about 40 states, as well as representative of the United Nations, the Arab League and the African Union, recognized the opposition National Transitional Council as "the legitimate governing authority in Libya" until the establishment of an interim authority.

"Until an interim authority is in place, the United States will recognize the TNC as the legitimate governing authority for Libya, and we will deal with it on that basis," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

by ActurcaDeutsche Welle (Germany), July 15, 2011Ayhan SimsekAt their conference in Istanbul, Western nations have thrown their full support behind Libya’s rebels, recognizing them as the ‘government authority.’ In a major policy shift Turkey has cut ties with Tripoli.In a major diplomatic move the US announced Friday that it formally recognized Libya’s opposition rebels as the country’s legitimate government.

by Ian BlackIstanbul meeting to hear about 'roadmap' of immediate ceasefire and talks, with US warning Gaddafi's days are numberedTurkey is proposing a "roadmap" for the Libyan crisis of an immediate ceasefire and a negotiated political solution, as international pressure mounts on Muammar Gaddafi to step down.

Secretary of state embarks on another world tourCNNWashington (CNN) — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived Friday in Istanbul, the start of a 12-day journey that, in typical Hillary fashion, will straddle the globe, taking her to Europe, India and East Asia. The main event in Istanbul Friday is

Clinton Goes to Istanbul; Will Missile Defense be on the Agenda?EurasiaNetUS Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Turkey on Friday, and some reports suggest that the Turkish government is prepared to agree to host a NATO missile defense system there. Turkey, you'll recall, wanted to impose several conditions on the

by BERİL DEDEOĞLUIt is common knowledge that the relationship between the EU and Turkey has been stressful since day one. Moreover, there is a lack of political determination on both sides to overcome the existing deadlock. It appears that we will soon stop calling this relationship a “process.” How many years will Turkey's negotiations take? Or, truth be told, how many more years will Turkey wait for chapters to be opened for negotiation?